2009 Offensive Line Analysis - Carolina Panthers

2009 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Jordan Gross
Left Guard: Travelle Wharton
Center: Ryan Kalil
Right Guard: Keydrick Vincent
Right Tackle: Jeff Otah

2008 Injuries:
T Jordan Gross: Week 5
G Travelle Wharton: Weeks 2, 3
C Ryan Kalil: Weeks 6-8, 11
G Keydrick Vincent: Weeks 16-17
T Jeff Otah: Weeks 5-8

2008 Statistics:

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Carolina Panthers made major changes to their offensive line last off-season and they all seemed to pay off. The Panthers ranked second in the NFL with 4.8 yards per carry and allowed DeAngelo Williams to have a career year rushing for over 1,500 yards. Jake Delhomme provided some consistency at the quarterback position and made the line look much better than the previous year by being able to distribute the ball quickly. The most impressive thing is that the offense played so well despite not a single lineman playing all 16 games.

At tackle, the Panthers will start their 2003 first round pick Jordan Gross as well as their 2008 first round pick Jeff Otah. Gross made the switch to left tackle last season after spending the previous two seasons on the right side. He is very durable, having missed only one start in six seasons which may be one of the reasons why the Panthers did not hesitate to sign him to a six-year deal worth $60 million. Gross struggled in pass protection in the past but he really stepped up his game in 2008 and played as one of the best tackles in the game. He is not overly physical but he is a very smart blocker with good technique. On the right side will be Jeff Otah, a very big lineman, at 6’6” and 325 lbs, with great strength. He is very powerful and aggressive off the line and his quick feet allow him to block downfield. Otah was known to have poor technique in college but he really improved last season. He was effective right away as a run blocker and became better and better in pass protection as the season progressed. Geoff Schwartz and Jonathan Palmer will provide depth at the tackle position, neither of whom has started a game in the NFL.

Travelle Wharton made the move to left guard last season; the Panthers 2004 third round pick who started all 16 games at left tackle in 2007. It proved to be an excellent move as Wharton was the key piece to the running game for the Panthers in 2008. Wharton is more suited to play inside because he lacks the quick feet and technique to play at left tackle in order to stay with speedy defensive ends. He remains an average pass blocker at guard but is a very good run blocker because of his strength, especially now that his knee is at full strength. The right guard position was expected to be a weak point for this line but Keydrick Vincent, 6’5” and 325 lbs, looked surprisingly good in 2008. Vincent is a good run blocker because of his strength but has struggled with injuries in the past and is not the most consistent lineman. His slow feet mean that he will usually struggle against quicker defenders but having Ryan Kalil on his left side really helped him last season. Mackenzy Bernadeau, the Panthers seventh round pick in 2008, spent the last season with the Panthers on the practice squad and is expected to be the top backup at guard and center this season. Duke Robinson, fifth round pick in 2009 and listed at 6’5” and 330 lbs, will likely compete with Bernadeau for that spot.

Ryan Kalil was by far the most improved player on this line in 2008 and may have been one of the most improved linemen in the NFL. Kalil was the team’s second round pick in 2007 out of USC but struggled in limited action at guard in his rookie season. Kalil is very smart and athletic, two excellent qualities for a center but lacks strength at 6’2” and 295 lbs. However, critics said the same thing about Jeff Saturday and he made it to three Pro Bowls throughout his career; Kalil just needs to stay healthy and he could turn into a similar player.

2009 Outlook:
The offensive line looked really good in 2008 and the Panthers managed to bring back all five starters this season. Last season the Panthers averaged 5.3 yards per carry in the seven games that all five starters played together, they averaged 4.5 in the other nine. However, the problem is that the two backups from last year, Jeremy Bridges and Geoff Hangartner won’t be back this season and none of the backups have any regular season experience in the NFL. If everyone stays healthy you can expect this line to be as good if not better than last year but if a single one of them is hurt for more than a few games, they will become an average line at best.

See all of our 2009 Offensive Line Analysis Articles